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Thread: DIY: Battery replacement (with slightly higher capacity)

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    Uber Mirage alex16's Avatar
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    DIY: Battery replacement (with slightly higher capacity)

    This might end up being a basic diy but still hopefully helpful to y'all in the future!

    Long story:

    I drive my mirage commercially and put about 10-14 hours inside it every day, I try not to idle those 10-14 hours as much as possible but I still need my cell phones charged. The factory battery has become very weak over time, 330cca when new is more like 150-180cca now. It has plenty of power to start the car and run the radio for 30 minutes, anything over 2 hours and I'm unable to start my engine. It's gotten worse over the past 6 months and decided it's time.

    Short story:

    Finding a replacement with the most cranking amps to fit in stock location. No parts stores are currently showing a correct size. I measured and compared all the batteries they had on hand at Walmart (my favorite place for car batteries) and found a 24F maxx ever start is just slightly longer but similar width and height.

    Will be installing in about a hour. Having lunch and going to auto parts to get a 10mm


    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Geez, first the nonstandard tires and now a weird battery size? Post back if it works.

    Also, maybe get a USB battery bank?
    https://www.amazon.com/Anker-20000mAh-Portable-Charger-PowerCore/dp/B00X5RV14Y

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    Uber Mirage alex16's Avatar
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    I've ran power banks but they only work great for about 200 cycles. Commercial use they deteriorate quickly, this battery was $104 and will give me all the power I need and more, plus I won't have to add anything into my small interior. Another nice thing is I have 3 year free replacement at any Walmart. The battery is almost identical in dimensions, about 3/8 inch longer 1/16 inch taller, 1/16 narrower. They had one that was 800cca va 725cca for $2 cheaper but it had the posts on the wrong side and I wasn't sure if the cables would reach.

    The P175-65R14s are excellent tires btw I think I might try the p185-60r14s next. There's no way I'm spending double the money on tires, the p185s are $37 vs $98 for the p165 oem size. I won't make up the fuel costs of $250 over 30,000miles. I figured a 2mpg gain over 30k at 2.30 gallon nets about $65 saved. I noticed about a 2mpg loss with odometer correction calculated, but as mpg goes it could be more or less.. Too many variables.
    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    How to:

    Safety glasses!
    Gloves!

    Step 1 disconnect negative battery terminal and isolate it from the battery

    Step 2 carefully slide positive plastic cover up and off the terminal. If it's never been removed do this carefully.

    Step 3 loosen the battery hold down nuts on both front and rear of the battery hold down clamp, don't take the rear nut all the way off, take the front nut off and remove the hold down stud. Then you can rotate the clamp rearward and out of the way.

    This picture shows the negative isolated by hooking it to the strut nut, and the battery hold down clamp resting on top of the brake master cylinder.

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    Step 4 carefully remove the battery
    Step 5 remove the plastic battery heat shield
    (Should add a battery mat or some kind of isolator to keep the battery from the bare frame. I'm planning to cut the stock battery heat shield down to make it work with the larger battery.
    Step 6 place new battery in and move it as close to the fuse box as possible so it's not touching upper radiator hose
    Step 7 re install battery clamp, rotate it over the battery, you might have to loosen the rear nut more before it clears, re hook the front stud and install the nut. Slowly tighten each nuts down evenly, when they begin to feel tight check to see if the battery can move, you want them just tight enough to be able to rock the entire car without the battery moving.

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    Step 8 check terminals for corrosion and then re install them positive first, tighten then install negative last.
    Step 9 re install plastic positive cover
    Job done!
    Side note, any time you run your battery down low or disconnect power your driver side "express" up and down aka automatic power window will not work anymore. Be in a quiet area and hold the express down (push the power window switch for the driver window all the way down) until the window goes completely down, do not release. 1-2 seconds after its all the way down you will hear a quiet click, then roll it all the way up the same way until you hear a click. This resets your express up and down window feature.


    Battery comparison picture


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    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    The battery heat sheild is designed to give extra life to the battery, in this situation it can't be used, but with walmarts 3 year free replacement I'm not concerned, I do however want the plastic tray to be under the battery. That will be done soon.
    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    It's tough to beat Walmart's warranty.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    Uber Mirage alex16's Avatar
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    Yup. I'll get some better pics of it installed. It's good to know one option as far as a replacement. No auto part stores are showing the part number for a replacement.
    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Uber Mirage alex16's Avatar
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    I know this has to be in my head... But my mirage seems to turn over a lot faster than it's ever turned over since the day i bought it
    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member MightyMirageMpg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alex16 View Post
    I noticed about a 2mpg loss with odometer correction calculated,

    you were doing the calculations manually or had your speedo recalibrated?

    mines off as well, (tire size) wondering how to correct it from a calibration standpoint.

  14. #10
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    Calculated manually


    2014 ES F5MBD aka 5MT. I am a full time Uber driver, if you want to drive for uber DO not sign up without my referral code for a bonus .

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 44.8 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 53.9 mpg (Imp)


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